If we had an election now..

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

..I think we'd be looking at an EDL (or other extreme right-wing) government.

In fact, let's put it into practice. If you could have a vote now, where would it go?

THIS is democracy.

Give it a rest you tedious bore. The odd political post is fair enough - I talk about anything on NSC - but you're going on and on all over the board. Try cobntributing to one of the many posts already going rather than starting your own each time a thought pops into your head.

 

[jcdenton08]

Don't reply to the thread? Or ignore my posts? Or just leave and don't come back?

 

[jimhigham]

Apologies for the poll being 'poorly constructed'. Feel free to vote 'Other' and then post your opinion here.

I did. Your point is fair enough though. The Tories would get absolutely humped.

 

[Scotty Mac]

bring back blair

 

[Napper]

bring back blair

If only , he changed things for the better.

Even this board which is Conservative hot bed has turned. Amazed no one knew they would screw it up like this

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Will these riots change the political landscape?

No doubt there will be a backlash. There will be acres of rhetoric from the sad old politicians (who are part of the problem) but can't see them changing the status quo much? I fear things will get a lot worse when the recession and effects of the defecit reduction really kick in. In these circumstances a political void may well be created that can be exploited by a minority party, most likely proper right wing (the centre ground is Labour and Tory these days) so while I agree this is UKIP's chance I suspect BNP will have a field day. What a mess.

 

[jimhigham]

If only , he changed things for the better.

Even this board which is Conservative hot bed has turned. Amazed no one knew they would screw it up like this

I'd always been a "small c" conservative. I never liked their more authoritarian impulses but economically I leaned towards smaller government and a belief that "the market" would generally take care of growth. Government was there to ensure the things that the market should not be turn a profit on, such as health, education, criminal justice, roads and the like.

The last couple of years have genuinely shaken me. I've spent a lot of time observing the political scene in the States. The free market has run rampant across the pond and it is scary. The market is not immoral but amoral. It simply does not consider social justice in pursuit of profit. As a consequence, the lower classes have been left behind for generations and the middle classes are now being swept up by those at the top of the political and economic food chain.

I don't dispute that we, as a nation, have been spending beyond our means and that cuts need to come. However, have these cuts been too "broad brush", with little thought to targeting where they may be most appropriate. My own employer, the UK Border Agency, is facing heavy cuts and I have no major problem with this. It seems to have become very bloated over the last decade and there are many areas where it could be "trimmed". However, can the same be said about the police? I would imagine that, again, there are areas that could be pruned back but the loss of front line staff would have a desperate impact and is possibly one of the factors why the rioters believe they can behave with such impunity. I would be very interested to hear the opinion of anybody within the police or with a better knowledge of how the cuts are impacting them.

The Tories have tried to apply some window dressing to the cuts, in the form of the Big Society but there is little to suggest that the public shows any inclination to either believe this or embrace it.

So where does that leave me politically? Confused. I can't see myself voting Tory again. I still feel that Labour are too financially incontinent to be trusted with the economy. The Lib Dems are an irrelevance and in Woking no other vote will count. What does a guy do? I'll be reading every manifesto ahead of the next manifesto (well not BNP, The Christian Party or any communist types) and doing my best to make an informed decision but as of today, I have no idea.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

A great post, Jim.

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

Don't reply to the thread? Or ignore my posts? Or just leave and don't come back?

Or alternatively exercise my right to have a point of view. As you said - THIS is democracy.

 

[Seagull27]

I hope the people who would consider voting BNP/support EDL realise that they are against ALL people of different ethnic origins, not just the minority who are causing trouble.

Unfortunately though, I fear they won't.

 

[bhaexpress]

I would have voted the way I have irrespective of the current problems. The fact that I now have a clueless, Eton Educated Tory as my local MP is very much a factor.

 

[Colossal Squid]

I have said this on a few other threads but it is worth repeating. The current party political system is entirely broken. All the major parties are not focused on the best way of running the country, but on the policies that will make them seem most appealing to the middle classes. All this whilst refusing to stand up to the rich, or put another way, the people who fund their election campaigns. The people at the bottom are not even considered, the gap between rich and poor in this country has been increasing unchecked for 50 years. At the same time the number of people voting had decreased, after all why vote if it does not make any real difference to you. Until all the major political parties refocus on the people they represent rather than making sure they win the next election these issues will continue to get worse.

Well said. And this is why disaffected youths across the country are so far away from being welcomed into civilised society to the point where they've given up even trying and are taking the morally and ethically wrong choice of violence and looting. They just don't care anymore. This is nihilism and it's only going to get worse.

Every jail cell in London is full, and that statistic is getting a lot of airing today. It will only encourage more people to go out and take what they want from high street chain stores, things that they'd never be able to afford otherwise, but which are everyday items for a great deal of middle Britain.

Call a General Election tomorrow and I doubt much would change around here although the Tory vote would no doubt shrink. Lucas would keep her seat and the other Tory seats would see their share of the vote slip. In fact some might even fall to Labour or the Greens.

The whole thing needs overhauling and we should be doing more about it, rather than letting despairing kids kick up a fuss in completely the wrong way

 

[TS90]

I think it's something like less than 3% of the total voting population voted for a right wing party at the last election, so no, not a chance will they ever get into power in this country.

 

[jcdenton08]

Disagree, I think if we had an election now with a far right candidate available on every ballot sheet we'd see a huge swing. People are very reactionary and most decent people are outraged by what has happened. The combination of an extreme vote being available as well as anger at inaction at what has happened I think would cause a huge upset.

Don't forget during the whole Princess Diana/Royal Family balls-up after her death, their stock was at its lowest - 70% of people polled would've abolished the Royal Family. The same poll again shortly before the royal wedding gave the similar result in favour of the family.

 

[Albumen]

I think the opposite. They're fighting under a right wing government, I can't see why you would think people to swing even more to the right. It would be the opposite.
And the 12 that voted for EDL I hope are having a laugh.

 

[Colossal Squid]

I'd have thought radical left wing politics would be more likely to have an effect than the far right

 

[jcdenton08]

The Tories are no more right wing than Labour or Clegg's Lib Dem's!

I am trying to make the point there is no true right wing or left wing choice, everything is down the centre anyway!

 

[Stoo82]

People say right wing like its a crime.

 

[beorhthelm]

... It will only encourage more people to go out and take what they want from high street chain stores, things that they'd never be able to afford otherwise, but which are everyday items for a great deal of middle Britain.

you mean things they dont think they have to go out and earn to afford to be able to have. let not have too much crying hearts about these scrotes, they are organising themselves movments though their £100 blackberries.

 

[Lincoln Imp]

I am actually amazingly disgusted that the EDL has got even one vote.

I am a Tory, but I did well under the Blair goverment and worked my balls off under the Major years.

Yes, they are similar. They have ALL made mistakes, but those who moan and moan need to look at their own situation and help themselves in tricky times. You cannot simply blame a government for your own situation.

The problem with this country are the lazy, feral, workshy. I am sure many of those rioting and looting last night are from this group of people.

Those considering a vote for an extremist government.... Well, firstly your vote will be wasted, as fortunately too many ppl in this country have some sense, but if an extremist government were to get in power, maybe we can look forward to scenarios like 1930s Germany, 1990's Iraq, 2000's Venezuala.

By all means criticise our leaders. They are accountable, but also remember:-

We have a relatively stable economy with less than 10% unemployment
Everyone has enough to eat
If you find yourself out of work, your family will have a roof and you will be fed.
We are one of the safest countries in the world.
We do not have crazy high taxes.
We have a police force we can generally trust.
We have a reliable supply of fuel, water and other utilities.
Generally we are well regarded by other forward thinking countries around the world
Generally we have an inclusive diverse society.

These things would change with an extremist government

A whole lot of sense here and remember, whilst the nutters setting buildings on fire are 100 times worse that the tiresome oiks F'ing and C'ing in the ears of children sitting in WSL on Saturday they all come from the same mould of zero respect for others and monumental self-regard.